Ultraviolet (UV) radiation is the most prominent and ubiquitous carcinogen in our environment and the skin is its major target. Epidemiological, clinical and biological studies have implicated repeated exposures of human skin to solar UV radiation as a cause of both melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers. UV radiation also induces inflammatory responses including erythema, edema, dermal infiltration of leukocytes and production of cytokines and growth factors. Further, there is mounting evidence that such inflammation plays a pivotal role in tumor initiation and promotion. Accordingly, there exists a need in the art for methods for protecting the skin against UV-induced damage and its effects.